Railway draft rigging



J. F. OCQNNOR RAILWAY DRAFT RIGGING Filed March l0. 1928 Sv NAN MN m. Nk

Patented Feb. 2, i932 TES Param-l s) me A JOHN r. ocOn'Non, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, vAsfsIefNon; 'ro W. H. Minna, INC., or cIIIoAeo,l v

ILLINOIS, .a eo:eronarroivy or DELAWARE Y RAILWAY nmirm n-IGGING vApplication led March 10, 1928.` Serial No. 260,709.

vide ample capacity for a draft action without increase in train slack.

Another object of my invention is to pro-` vide a draft rigging so arranged that, during a compression stroke, the resistance afforded during the first part thereof is that of a friction gear and a spring unitiy combined and,

during the last part of the stroke, is that ofv two friction units operating inrtandem.l

A further obj ect of my invention is to provide a draft rigging wherein one unit is op-y erable throughout the entire buff stroke and a secondL friction unit is operable during the latter part, only, of the stroke. c

A more specific object of my invention is to provide a draft rigging employing` three separate units arranged vin tandem formation with means cooperating therewith inv such manner lthat one of said units is operable throughout an 'entire compression stroke, another unit is oaerable'during the rst part, only, ofthe compression stroke, and the third unit is operable during the last part, only, of the compression stroke. Another specific obj-ect of my invention is l to provide aV draft rigging ofthe type indicated in the preceding paragraph and wherein only one of said iunitsA is operable inv draft, the rigging being further characterized by the fact that the compression stroke in a buff action is longer than that in draft.

Other objects of my invention will more clearly appear from the description and claims hereinafter following. l

.ln the drawings formingfa' part ofthis specification, Fig. lis a horizontal, longituthe latter being located inwardly of the boldinal sectional view of a portion of a railway car, the portionlof the car shown including parts inwardly of the bolster.v Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view corre? spending to the line 2 2 of Fig. 1,4 but being 5 upon an enlarged scale. v And Fig. 3 isa vertical transverse sectional view corresponding to the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

vIn saidldrawings, -,10 denote the usual channel center sills of a railway car which so are extended to both sides of the bolster, indicated at 11. Said Lbolster `is provided with a center filler casting12, the side webs 13 of which are outwardly extended so as to providerear limiting stop shoulders 14E- 14E for the purpose hereinafter described. Said casting-12 is further formed with a central sleeve 15 centrally apertured fora sliding plunger 16, the function of which will be described hereinafter.` The sills 10 are secured at their forward ends to an end sill 17 in any suitable manner and the opening for the draft rigging parts issuitablyrreinforced by a striking casting 18, the latter having a bottom transversel section 119 which functions as the kcarry iron. 7: Secured to the inner faces ofthe sills 10, at points intermediate the end sill and bolster, are cheek plates 118-118, `each of which is provided at its front end with a front lim-v iting stop shoulder 19, `and at vits rear end a, with alimiting stop's'houlder 20. Also applied to the sills 10 are stop lug castings 21, each ofwliich has an elongated horizontal slot 22to accommodate the coupler key 23 and is also further provided with front stop lugs 24-24- Y In carrying out my invention, in addition to the Yusual standard coupler lA, I preferably employ a long yoke or casing B; a front relatively ixed friction shock absorbing unit indicatedvgenerally lby the reference characl ter; C; a second friction shock absorbing unit indicated generally by the reference character D; and a heavy spring resistance unit E,

ster. The yoke B and parts therewithin arev sustained in operative'position by the carry iron section 119, areviouslyreferred to, and a detachable saddle plate 25.

4Referring first to the spring unit E, the W1 same comprises two nested coils as clearly shown in Fig. 1, the same being housed within a spring cage 26 which is bolted to thesills and has a back stop wall 27. rlhe front end of the cage 26 is spaced inwardly of the bolster and provides limiting stop shoulders 28-28, to limit the rearward or inward movement of the spring follower 29 during a buff action. Preferably, the follower 29 will be.

restricted to a movement of about 21/2. As

be actuated, as hereinafter explained.

The friction shock absorbing unit D, which l have chosen for illustrative purposes only, is housed within the tubular yoke B, the details of which Vwill be hereinafter described.

g Said friction unit D preferably comprises a combined friction shell and spring cage casting 31 havingy an integral back wall 32 and provided with liners 33 at the front end of the shell section proper. Cooperable with the friction shell are a number' of wedgefriction-shoes 34-34,7the latter bearing at their rear ends on a spring cap 35 which in turn is engaged by the front ends of a double coil spring resistance 36, the rear end of the latterbearing on a second follower 37 which has its ends extended laterally through suitable Slots 38`in the side walls of thev shell casting 8l, as best shown in Fig. 1. lVith the arrangement shown it is evident that the fol lower 37 will always move in unison with the shell casting 31.V Said follower 37 is preferably recessed on its rear face as indicated at 39, and in which recess is adapted to be seated the preferably slightly tapered forward end 40 of the plunger 16, the latter passing through suitable alined openings in the rear wall'32 of the shell casting and in the rear wall 41 of the yoke B. Cooperable with the friction shoes 34 is a double ended wedge member4 42, the latter preferably being cored to lessen the weight and save material, as shown in the drawings. Y

rlhe friction unit C, which is also housed within the yoke B, preferably comprises a rectangular friction shell 48 having friction surfaces provided by removable liners 44, the friction surfaces of the latter preferably tapering inwardly of the shell, and which `is also true, of the friction surfaces of the liners 33 of the other unit D. lSaid-.shell 43 is held stationary at all times by any suitable means such as the upper and lower, transversely eX- tending keys 45-45 which fit within notches in the upper yand lower surfaces of saitL shell i and are extended through elongated slots retained against accidental removal by any suitable means such as a head at one end and removable pins 48-48 at the other end. Cooperable with the friction shell 43 are a number of elongated wedge-friction-slioes 49-49, each of which has a wedge face 50 at its inner end cooperating with a corresponding wedge face 51 on the double wedge block 42, heretofore referred to. At its front end, each shoe 49 has another preferably keener wedge face 52 cooperating with a corresponding wedge face 53 on a combined follower-wedgepres sure-transmitting block 54. The latter, as best shown in Fig. 1, has laterally extended flanges or wingsl 55-55 which extend through slots 56 in the side walls of the yoke B andare adapted to cooperate with the front stop lugs 24. The butt end of the shank of the coupler A normally engages the wedge-follower y54 so as to directly actuate the latter in a buff stroke, said coupler being attached to the yoke B by the coupler key 23 hereinb-efore referred to.

The yoke B is of elongated tubular formation and preferably square in cross section, the same having a top wall 156, bottom wall 5'? and side walls 538-58. Said yoke is extended forwardly to a point closely adjacent the usual horn ofthe coupler and is there provided with a removable coupler-supporting sleeve 59 preferably in the form of a casting which is shouldered as indicated at 60 to engage the front end of the yoke B and has an inner extension 61. VSaid 'sleeve 59 abuts the horn of the coupler and also sustains the latter at its outer end and further restricts any vibration verticallyl of the coupler so as to confine it always to a horizontal position coinciding with the axis of the yoke B. rlhe side walls 58 are slotted at 56 as previously described and the length of said slots 56 will vbe such as to preferably allow about 21/2l movement between the yoke and the wedge-follower 54.r Said side walls are further slotted near the rear end, as indicated at 6.2 and through which are extended the ends of said follower 37. The length of the slots 62 will also preferably be made such as to allow for 21/2 movement between the yoke B and the follower 37. The slots 46 in the side wallsof the yoke are sufficiently elongated forwardly of the keys 45 to permit the yoke B to move rearwardly preferably 5 relative to the keys 45. Said slots 46 are also elongated rearwardly of the keys 45 sufficiently to permit the yoke B to move forwardly 2% relative to the keys 45.

With the construction shown, and Varranged as above described, the operation is as follows, during a buff stroke. VUpon inward or buff movement of the coupler A, the yoke B will move simultaneously and uniformly therewith. The front wedge-follower 54 will also move in unison with the coupler, as will be obvious, thus actuating the front friction unit C since bud movement lli of the wedge-follower 54C will force Athe wedgeshoes 49 inwardly of the stationaryfriction shell- 43 and the action or stroke of the friction unit C will be the full permissible vstroke of the coupler A, or in the example chosen. Inward or rearward movement of the friction shoes i9` in turn forces the double wedge block 4t2 rearwardly, the latter in fact being somewhat accelerated, due to the taper of the friction surfaces of the shell lf3. Rearward movement of the wedge block 42 will, in turn, induce rearward or buff movement of the friction spring unit I), as an entirety and inasmuch as the follower 37 carried lby further compression'of the spring unit E.

ceases and further inward movement of the plunger 16 is also terminated. The action just describedV preferably continues fo-r about 2% as previously indicated. Thereafter, as

the coupler and friction elements ofthe front friction unit C continue their buff movement, the friction shell 31 will be held stationary 1w both by reason of the then held plunger 16 and the fact that the ends of the `follower 37 will have come into engagement with the limiting stops 14. There is then produced,

during the last half of the buff compression stroke, a combined friction spring action in the unit l), inasmuch as the double wedge l2 will force the shoes 3& 34 inwardly of the friction shell. During this last half of the buff compression stroke, it will vbe observed that the yoke Bis free to move relative to the follower 37 by reason of the slotsv 62.

In a draft action, the wedge-follower 5a will be held' stationary by the stop lugs 2st and the shell 13 of the front unit C will be l held stationary,l as above vdescribech so that no friction action is set upV in the unit C. As the coupler moves forward, it pulls the yoke B therewith and the latter in turn, through its rear wall l1, pulls lthe friction shell 31 forwardly in unison therewith and hence a friction action will be set up 1between the mov- Y ing friction shell 31 and the friction shoes 34:-34- which are held relatively stationary by the double wedge block l2 which in turn is held stationary by the wedge-shoes 49'.

The draft action is limited when the follower 37 engages with the stop lugs 2O and preferably also the rear walls of the slots in the yoke B will engage the follower flanges and the coupler key 23 will eiigage'with the walls at the ends of the coupler key slots During the draft action, it will beobserved that the rear springl unit E rei'nains idleso that the draft shock absorbing capacity is that of the intermediate spring friction unit Dfonly and the'stroke is limited to preferably I have herein shown and 'described what I now consider the preferred manner of carrying out the invention,'but I am aware that a great many changes may be made not only in details of construction and arrangement of parts, but in the substitution of one form of resistance unit for another without departing from the spirit of the invention and all actuating one' of said units during an entire buff strokegmeans for actuating another of -said units during theffirst part, only, of a buff stroke; means for actuating the third of said units during the last part, only, of a buff stroke; and means for actuating one, only, of said units in a draft stroke.

3. In' a draft rigging, the combination with a friction unit, a spring-friction unit,

and a spring unit, arrangedin tandem formation ;'of means for actuating said friction unit during an entire buff stroke; means for actuating said spring unit yduring the first part, only, ofy a buff stroke; means for actuating said spring-friction unit during the last part only of a buff stroke; and means for actuating said spring-friction unit,` only, in a draft stroke. n I Y y4. In a draft rigging, the combination with draft sills and a bolster; of` three shock absorbing unitsarranged in tandem formation, two in front of the bolster and one rearwardly thereof; means for actuating one of said units during an entire compressionstroke; means for actuating another of said units during the first part, only, of .said compression stroke:

rand means for actuating the third of said units during the last part, only, of said compression stroke.

5. In a draft rigging, the combination' with draft sills and abolster; of a friction unit, a friction-spring unit'7 and a spring unit disposed between saidv sills, said spring lunit being located inwardly of the bolster; means for actuatin@r said s rin0f unit durin a art only, of acompressioii stroke 5 means for actuating said spring-friction unit during a different part, only, ofv said compression stroke;

vchanges and modifications are contemplated and means for actuatingfsaid friction unit f during the entire compression stroke.

6. In a draft rigging, the combination with a friction unit including, a fixed shell; of` a spring-friction device including a friction shell and a spring resistance; a spring resistance unit; means for transferring pressure from said first unit to said device in buff; means for transferring pressure from said device to said spring unit in buff; and means for pulling the shell of said device in draft.

7. In a draft rigging, the combination with a friction unit including, a fixed shell; of a spring-friction device including a friction shell and a spring resistance; a spring resistance unit; means for transferring pressure from said first unit to said device in buff; means for transferring pressure from said device to said spring unit in buff and means for pulling the shell. of said device in draft, said spring resistance unit being disposed inwardly of the bolster.

8. In a draft rigging, the combination with a friction unit including a fixed shell; of 'a spring-friction device including a friction shell and a spring resistance; aspring resistance unit; means for transferring pressure from said first unit to said device in buff; means for transferring pressure from said device to said spring unit in buff; means for` pulling the shell of said device in draft; and means for holding the friction elementsV of said friction unit stationary-in a draft stroke.

9. In a draft rigging, the combination with a friction unit including a fixed shell; of a spring-friction device including a friction shell and a spring resistance; a spring resistance unit; means for transferring pressure from said first unit to said device in buff; means for transferring pressure from said devieeto said spring unit in buff; means for pulling the shell of said device in draft; and means for limiting the compression of said spring unit prior to completion of the full stroke of said friction unit.

l0. In a draft rigging, the combination with draft sills and a bolster; of a front friction unit including 'a fixed friction shell vand cooperating friction elements; a spring-frictiondevice disposed inwardly of said unit and including a friction shell and frictionelements; pressure-transmitting means interposed between said two sets of friction elements; a shock absorbing unit disposed inwardly of the bolster; and means for transmitting pressure from said device to said unit disposed inwardly of the bolster.

l1. In a. draftA rigging, the combination with draft sills; of a yoke; a front shock absorbing device housed within said yoke; a second shock absorbing device housed within said yoke; means for transferring presure from the first named to the second named device; al third shock absorbing device located exteriorly of saidyoke, said last Ynamed device being 0f lesser capacity than said second named device; and means for transmitting pressure'from said second named dei vice to said device located exterior to the yoke, said third device being located inward-v ly of the bolster and said last named means comprising a pressure-transmitting plunger extending through the bolster.

l2. In a draft rigging, the combination with a front fixed friction shell; of friction elements cooperable therewith adapted to be actuated during` a buff stroke, only; a springfriction device including a shell, friction elements cooperable therewith and a spring resistance; meansk for transmitting pressure from said first named friction lelements to saidl second named friction elements; a spring resistance; means for transmitting pressure from said second named device to said spring'resistanee; means limiting the compression of said spring resistance to an amount less than the permissible stroke of said first named friction device.

18. In a railway draft rigging, the combi'- nation with draft sills; of a friction unit including a shell fixed rela-tively to the sills and cooperable friction elements; a second friction Vunit including relatively movablefriction members and a spring resistance; a pressure transmitting member interposed between the elements and certain of the friction members of said two units whereby movement in one direction of the elements of the rfirst named unit produces actuation of the friction members of said second named unit; means for holding said elements 'and relpart of said friction members stationary ative to said shell in the opposite direction; and means for actuating said second named unit in said opposite direction to compress the spring resistance thereof.

14. In a railway draft rigging, the combination with draft sills; of a fr'ction unit including a friction shell fixed relativelyto the sills and having cooperalole friction elements; a second friction unit including cooperating rclatively Vmovable friction members anda spring resistance opposing relative movement of said friction members; means for actuating said first named unit in buff; a pressure transmitting member interposed between the friction elements and eertain of said members of said two units whereby actuation of the first named unit in buff will cause relative movement of thefriction members of said second named unit; means for holding said element-s andpart of said friction members stationary in draft action; and means for actuating said second named unit in draft to compress the spring resist-` ance thereof and effect relative movement of the friction members.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 8th day of March, 1928.

JGHN F. OCNNOR. 

